Artist and color consultant Barbara Mayfield on making one's world sing with color.

Category: Paint & Color

Nothing much happens around here on early Monday mornings. But by about 11, the energy picks up: 11:05 a.m.: A mother and her 6-year-old arrive. They’ve bought a new house and they close in two weeks and she has to pick out the colors now because they will only have a weekend to paint before … More Paint Shop Log — pre-Equinox

I know you are all aching to know what happens during a day consulting on color while in the paint shop. 11:30 a.m. – A very quiet morning, during which time I sorted out the CSP color swatch binder. Now all the 4×8″ sample sheets are in numerical order. This means I’ll won’t be blundering … More Paint Shop Log — St. Patrick’s Day

Working on color for an interior recently. A good-sized place with many rooms. New construction! This means my client “Monica” is making a million decisions a day, from lighting fixtures, to tile patterns, to drawer handles. It’s high quality stress, but still stressy. In one room, we are working off a carpet sample that has … More Color and Love

Last week I had four requests for a color called Architect’s White. This color is no longer is on the lists of Benjamin Moore or Farrow & Ball or any of the other usual suspects. The only place I could find it is with Zoffany, a company in the UK. In the USA, two different … More Architect’s White

The whole Haint Blue thing passed right by me. As a child, I was not sent the memo about the protective power of color. I grew up in brick houses with no porches. I know! Somehow I survived this outrage. And the Universe, being a benevolent force for good in spite of appearances, sent … More Haint Blue and Witches Blue

Dear Home Beautifiers, How about an Ask Barbara column/video/youtube thing about color in our dwelling places? Or a HOUSE COLOR TALK that I can present to your group or teach in a 2-hour community ed class? Would this of these be of interest to you? I hope so, because I could talk about these things … More Color Questions. What do you want to know?

It has been quite a slog back to the blog, but here we are on a fiercely hot summer day in Philadelphia and I am typing away with only a slight ache in my right wrist, my slightly stiff fingers doing their darnedest to move around the keyboard. I was off radar until April. In-home … More Ceiling and Woodwork Color is Crucial.

I went to Washington DC for the Women’s March. Yes, I’m for all those progressive ideals like equal rights, and peace not war, and I believe the environment is a person and a corporation is not. It was an awesome, fierce, and moving experience. And who would think so much power could be conveyed by the … More Pink

Here we are with a big witchy holiday upon us. And I love big witchy holidays. As I am sure you are aware, the veil between the worlds thins out at this time of year and for some reason the colors orange and black have come to be associated with All Hallow’s Eve. My theory … More The Orange and Black Time of Year

Many of you are getting ready to do the great Paint-the-Exterior-of -the-House-Before-Winter thing, aren’t you? And maybe you are tempted to repaint in the same colors that are already on there. But, hey…… Life is short or long depending on your point of view, and time doesn’t matter anyway because it’s an illusion, right? I’m pretty sure I … More Painting your house before winter? Inspiration from Italy.